ArticleBMC geriatrics2026
Frailty and quality of life in older ICU survivors: a scoping review of assessment tools and methodologies.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Multimorbidity, polypharmacy and frailty in critically ill older adults.European geriatric medicine · 2026Review
- Geriatric critical care assessment: key considerations.European geriatric medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLife expectancy increases, leading to growth in an older population where frailty and comorbidities are more prevalent. Subsequent increased intensive care unit (ICU) treatment results in prolonged rehabilitation and post-discharge loss of physiological and intellectual functions, negatively influencing quality of life (QoL).
methodsThis scoping review aims to identify existing research on assessment methods for frailty, QoL, and health-related outcomes for these ICU survivors. The review followed Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews and reported using the PRISMA-P checklist. Systematic searches were conducted in Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and CINAHL (2013 to 2023). Included studies were primary, peer-reviewed, or empirical studies written in English or Scandinavian, patients aged 70+, admitted to ICU more than 48 h, and inclusion of both frailty and QoL. A librarian qualified the search. Two reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data; a third reviewer resolved discrepancies.
resultsA total of 5,198 articles were identified. Nine met the eligibility criteria. Different tools assessed frailty and QoL. For frailty, Clinical Frailty Scale, Karnofsky Performance Status, Modified Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living, Groningen Frailty Indicator, CGA questionnaire, or Barthel Index were used. A combination of scales (SF-12, SF-36, EQ-5D, EQ-5D-5 L, or EQ-5D-3 L), questionnaires, or interviews (regarding residential and functional status and self-reported health-related QoL) was used for QoL.
conclusionFrail older ICU survivors experience persistent physical, cognitive, and symptom-related challenges poorly captured by conventional QoL assessments, particularly regarding psychological and subjective experiences. The few studies addressing both frailty and QoL make it difficult to establish evidence, highlighting the need for standardised, multidimensional, patient-centred frameworks.
trial registrationNot applicable.
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